AN Eighties pop legend has penned a new song about a historic castle and popular tourist attraction.

Musician Nik Kershaw has written a song about Hedingham Castle and its 900-year-long history.

The lyrics, penned by the singer-songwriter, feature tongue-in-cheek facts about the most notable of the estate’s ancestors.

This includes Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, who is thought by some to have been the real Shakespeare.

Nik rose to prominence in the 1980s when he had eight singles that entered the Top 40.

He also featured at the 1985 Live Aid concert and has penned songs for other artists, including a number one for Chesney Hawkes with The One and Only.

Nik’s new song will be performed by Pantaloons Theatre Company as part of their brand new comedy show The Earls of Oxford.

It is due to take place exclusively at Hedingham Castle during the May Day Fair on Sunday, May 1, and Monday, May 2.

The event - in the venue's grounds - will be Hedingham Castle’s first May Day Fair in recent years.

The two-day event will feature Maypole dancing, birds of prey displays from local company Eden Falconry, and Barbaric Battle re-enactments that interact with the crowd.

For the first time ever, there will also be an award-winning medieval village set up for the event, complete with a household of more than 30 actors giving visitors a fascinating and interactive insight into the life of a merchant family in the 15th Century.

Throughout the day, visitors can also take part in archery, axe-throwing and storytelling, and enjoy live traditional and medieval music and street theatre, all included in the ticket price.

Craft and food stalls will also be available.

Hedingham Castle owner Demetra Lindsay said: “It’s not every day you have a pop icon write a song about your family’s history, is it?

“We are so excited to host our first May Day Fair and cannot wait to hear Nik’s song performed by the hilarious Pantaloons – what an absolute treat we are all in store for.”

Gates open at 10am both days, with the first display starting at 11am. Free onsite parking is also available.

For more information, visit hedinghamcastle.co.uk.